Saints at Rams final score: New Orleans holds off St. Louis, 26-24; Michael Sam debuts
By Jack Crosby
The NFL preseason continued on Friday night, and one of the games everyone was looking forward to was the contest between the New Orleans Saints and the St. Louis Rams, for a variety of reasons. When it was all said and done, it was the Saints that came away with the narrow 26-24 victory.
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For the Rams, everyone was looking forward to the debut of Michael Sam, signaling the first time an openly gay NFL player would take the field. Late in the first quarter, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher inserted Sam into the game at weak-side defensive end. Sam made his impact felt early on, too, getting pressure on Saints quarterback Luke McCown, and even registering a hit. He finished with one total tackle in the game
Now as for the Saints, everyone was wondering whether or not the reports from camp about rookie wide receiver Brandin Cooks being so dynamic were true, and those claims were indeed validated by the former Oregon State star.
Cooks finished his debut game in the NFL with five catches for 55 yards, with a 25-yard touchdown play in which he did what he does best, catch the ball and burn the defense. With all due respect to the QB at the time, Ryan Griffin, Cooks with Drew Brees will be dangerous in the coming years.
At the time, that Cooks score put the Saints up 26-17 with about three minutes to go in the third quarter. At the beginning of the fourth, the Rams cut the lead to 26-24, however they missed a 59-yard field goal attempt with time running out in regulation that would have given them the victory.